Re: Opaque v Transparent Pigments

I would like to add my own bit of information on the use of transparent
pigments, as I use them in the Tempraprint process. As Temperaprint is a
multi-coated process, for me it is vitally important to use transparent or
at the very least translucent colours in order to be able to predict how the
colours will merge with each other in the final image. An opaque colour
simply sits on top and can prevent the other colours from coming through and
blending properly to produce the final desired colour. I use acrylic
colours to mix with the dichromate and the transparency, translucency or
opacity is written on the container. My preferred choice is Liquitex.
Hellena
----- Original Message -----
From: "Katharine Thayer" <kthayer@pacifier.com>
To: "alt photo" <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2006 7:07 PM
Subject: Opaque v Transparent Pigments

> Hi Folks,
> It occurred to me that I didn't really have to wait until I have time
> to reprint these prints wiith a better color balance, to demonstrate
> the difference between opaque vs transparent pigments, since opacity
> vs transparency is after all a different issue from color balance or
> tonality. So I've simply enlarged a part of each of the prints, to
> show the difference I was trying to describe, that I could see in the
> prints but that I wasn't sure translated to the electronic
> reproductions.
>
> I've always said that in my own experience, to my own eye,
> transparent pigments shine through each other in a way that forms
> clearer, brighter color blends than opaque colors can possibly make,
> and that's why I prefer transparent pigments, especially for
> tricolor prints but also anytime I want to use different colors and
> have them form clear color blends. I think these enlarged details
> show those qualities quite well, and maybe I'll just use this for
> the page on pigment opacity and transparency, without spending any
> more time on it.
>
> These test prints that the enlarged details come from are the same
> ones I showed the other day; the same separations were used for both
> prints, and both prints were most probably printed on the same sheet
> of sized Arches bright white, as I was cutting larger sized sheets
> into small pieces for these small test prints, and these two prints
> were done consecutively.
>
> http://www.pacifier.com/~kthayer/html/optrans.html
>
> Katharine
>
Received on Mon Jan 9 11:22:36 2006